Water circulator for hot water heating systems



March 17, 1942.

A. MELETTI WATER CIRCULATOR FOR HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEMS Patented Mar. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE WATER CIRCULATOR FOR HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEMS 6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid pumps and the principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluid pump of the diaphragm type and means for operating the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid pump and actuating means of the type described wherein the pressure and frequency of the periodic discharge of said pump may be regulated and controlled as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device or mechanism of the character described which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which at the same time is eflicient' and economical in use.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide a circulating pump for use with hot water heating and like systems which normally operate on the gravity feed or flow principle thus doing away with the usual flow or check valve. and functioning as a booster or likerpump forthe circulating hot water and making available to some extent at least to gravity feed or flow systems the advantage resulting from the more modern force feed or pressure circulating hot water systems.

These and other objects of the invention and the features and details of theconstruction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the bottom portion 2' to constitute a closed pump I chamber C. As will be observed, the inlet and outlet valves 3 and 4, respectively, are normally maintained closed with respect to the pump chamber C by g the pump.

mechanism of the present invention in: cooperatially of a circular shallow bowl-like basin or bottom portion 2' in which is located inlet and outlet valves 3 andA, respectively. The basin or bottom portion 2 has laterally extending peripheral flat flanges 5' upon which is fitted a circular metal disc or diaphragm 6 of inverted bowl shape as shown. This diaphragm 6 is secured to the flange 5x of the bottomportion 2 at a plurality of points thereabout by means of nut and bolt assemblies I, 8, thus closing the Thus, opening-of the inlet valve 3 is effected by pressure externally of the pump, whereas opening of the outlet valve 4' is effected by pressure from within the pump chamber C, the compression and expansion forces of the valve springs 3a and 4a, respectively, being determined and provided in'accordance with the pressure requirement for each valve in any given installation of the deviceor mechanism.

Secured centrally of the diaphragm 6 as at 9 is a diaphragm operating stem II] which is piv otally connected adjacent its upper end to a walking beam II as indicated at I2. This walking beam II is pivoted adjacent or toward one end thereof, as indicated at I3, to a standard or support I4 fixedly secured, for example, to one of the diaphragm securing bolts 8. The other or freeend portion I4 of the walking beam II projects outwardly through a yoke I5 which is fixedly secured to a diametrically disposed diaphragm securing bolt I and this yoke I5 has a cross-pin l6 which functions to limit upward travel of the beam I I.

Thus it will be observed that upon vertical reciprocating movement of the walking beam II about its fixed pivot I3, the said beam, operating through the stem II), will operate to cause a reciprocatory movement or operation of the'pump diaphragm 6 with respect to the pump basin or bottom 2.

Now in accordance with the present invention, operation or actuation of the Walking beam II is effected by causing a weighted carriage to move back and forth along the free end portion of the said beam II.

This carriage, designated generally as IT, for example, may consist of a pair of side members I8 arranged at opposite sides of the beam I I and having rollers or the like I 9 therebetween for substantially friction-free movement along the upper surface of said beam I I. I V

Secured to and depending from this carriage I! is a weighted member W which may consist of a desired number of disks of predetermined weight or, if desired, a receptacle may be suspended from the said carriage II andthis receptacle weighted to the desired weight by inserting therein shot or other metal articles or pieces as required.

Pivotally and adjustably connected to the carriage I I, as for example as at 20, is one end of a pitman or actuating rod H, the other end of which is pivotally connected as at 22 to a crank or like arm 23 rotatably driven by a motor M through suitable reduction gearing 24 which may be varied and changed as desired to produce the desired speed or frequency of reciprocatory travel of the carriage II. An important advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that the arrangement is such that motors of extremely low power are required and at least one installation of a very small motor of only watts (1/50 H. P.) is sufficient to effect satisfactory operation.

The crank or arm 23 to which the rod 2I is connected is provided with a slot or series of apertures therein as shown at 25 so that the said rod 2I may be adjustably connected to said crank arm 23 with respect to its center and thereby effect minor adjustments of the length of the stroke of the rod 2I and hence that of the carriage II upon the beam I I. Also, position of the carriage I'I lengthwise of the beam II may be regulated through the adjustable connection 20 between said carriage I1 and the pitman 2|.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the motor M and its reduction gearin 24 is mounted upon a supporting bracket- 26, and this bracket 26 is bolted or otherwise secured to the beam H adjacent the fixed pivot or fulcrum I3 thereof. As will be observed the motor and its mounting may be secured adjustably along the beam II with respect to the fulcrum pivot I3 by reason of the provision of a series of properly spaced apertures 21 along that portion of said beam II and this provision is made, along with the adjustability of stroke length of the carriage II, so that the motor may be positioned lengthwise of the beam I I in such position with respect to a given stroke length that when the carriage I1 is at the limit of its travel inwardly along the beam, the motor and its mounting may counterbalance the carriage I1 and its weight W about or with respect to the pivot or fulcrum I3.

Now while the mechanism or device of the invention may be employed generally where the services of a pump may be desired, I have found that the invention may be employed to particular advantage to boost or increase the rate of circulation of hot water in heating systems of the socalled gravity feed or flow type thus imparting to such systems some. of the advantages of the force feed or pressure systems now in more general use.

Accordingly, as an illustration of the operation of the present invention, 1 have shown the same in conjunction with a hot water heating boiler B. In this arrangement the circulating hot water outlet 28 from the boiler B is connected to the inlet valve 3 of the pump I and the outlet valve 4 of said pump is connected to the usual distributing pipe system designated generally as at 29.

Now in operation, the device or mechanism of the present invention is shown in the several figures of the drawing at the instant of its innermost limit of travel and the pump I with its diaphragm 6 raised is full of water admitted thereto through the valve 3 from the boiler B. Consequently, and as the motor M is in operation, the carriage I! immediately begins to traverse its outward course along the beam II with the result that said carriage I! and its weight W force the beam I I downward thus depressing the diaphragm 6 which operate to force the water outwardly from the pump chamber C through the outlet valve 4, the weight W being such that sufficient pressure is exerted by it and the diaphragm upon the water to cause the opening of valve 4 and flow of said water into the distributing pipe system 29 at the pressure required or desired.

Now when the carriage I'I reaches the outer limit of its travel the pump chamber i substantially void of water with the result that return inward movement of the carriage begins and lessens the leverage action of the weight W upon the diaphragm so that the latter begins to rise.

At this stage of the operation of the system the outlet valve 4 has closed and simultaneously the pressure of hot Water from the boiler B and the decreasing pressure within the pump due to the raising diaphragm 6 causes the inlet valve 3 to open admitting water to the pump chamber 0. This continues until the pump chamber is substantially filled and the carriage I! has reached its innermost limit of travel on the beam I I at which time the inlet valve 3 closes and outward travel of said carriage takes place to again discharge the water from chamber C through outlet valve 4 as above described, the aforesaid cycle of operations continuing in the sequence described so long as the motor M remains in operation to reciprocate the carriage along the said beam II.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel pump mechanism or device which is of relatively simple construction yet is efiicient and economical in use and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Use of the invention, of course, is not limited to hot water heating systems such as herein set forth for purposes of illustration, and while a particular embodiment of said invention has been shown and described, it is not intended that the invention be limited to such disclosure but that changes and modifications may be made and incorporated therein within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement, comprising a beam member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, connecting means adapted to connect said beam member to the device, and a carriage reciprocable lengthwise of said beam member at one side of its pivot and means overbalancing the beam member at the opposite side of its pivot constructed and arranged with respect to said carriage so that the latter operates to rock the beam member and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means.

2. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement, comprising a beam member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, Y

connecting means adapted to connect said beam member to the device, a carriage reciprocable lengthwise of said beam member at one side of its pivot and means overbalancing the beam member at the opposite side of its pivot constructed and arranged with respect to said carriage so that the latter operates to rock the beam member and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means, and means for reciprocating said carriage.

3. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement, comprising a beam member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, connecting mean-s adapted to connect said beam member to the device, a carriage arranged to travel along the beam at one side of its pivot, a motor mounted on said beam at the opposite side of its pivot for movement therewith, and connections between the motor and said carriage for reciprocating the latter upon the beam to rock the latter and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means.

4. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement comprising a beam member pivotatly mounted intermediate its ends, connecting means adapted to connect said beam member to the device, a carriage arranged to travel along the beam at one side of its pivot, a motor mounted on said beam at the opposite side of its pivot for movement therewith, and connections between the motor and said carriage for reciprocating the latter upon the beam to rock the latter and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means, the construction and arrangement of said connections being such as to permit of adjustment and regulation of the length and frequency of the reciprocatory movement of said carriage.

5. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement comprising a beam member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends,

connecting means adapted to connect said beam member to the device, a carriage arranged to travel along the beam at one side of its pivot, a motor mounted on said beam at the opposite side of its pivot for movement therewith, and connections between the motor and said carriage for reciprocating the latter upon the beam to rock the latter and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means, said motor being adjustably mounted on the said beam so that the position of the motor on the beam may be varied thereon to counterbalance the carriage with respect to the pivot of the beam for a predetermined position of said carriage in any set length of movement thereof.

6. Actuating mechanism for a device having reciprocating movement comprising a beam member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, connecting means adapted to connect said beam member tothe device, a carriage arranged to travel along the beam at one side of its pivot, a motor mounted on said beam at the opposite side of its pivot for movement therewith, a rod connecting the motor and said carriage to rock the latter and impart reciprocatory motion to said connecting means, connections between the motor and said rod adjustable to effect variations in the length and frequency of movement imparted thereby to the carriage, and connections between the rod and said carriage adjustable to vary the position of the carriage movement with respect to the length of the beam.

ADOL'PI-I MELETTI. 

